The road to Dakar

Leaving Zebra Bar was to be the next stage of my journey, something new for me, last time I was here I went South East to Mali this time I’m heading for Dakar to sort out some visas which will determine where I go next.

I headed into St Louis to meet up with Tim and Julio, he has been following me on the road, a couple of days behind for most of the ride and they have now caught up.

Meeting them in their Hotel was fruitful for both parties, they had found and AXA insurance office just down the road and this gave me the opportunity to secure my ‘Carte Brune’ or brown card insurance cover which will cover me for most West African countries, that was a real bonus.

Next on the list was Tim’s stove, I have been following his blog and he’s had nothing but trouble, it’s a promise petrol stove and I’m pretty sure I can sort it for him! He demonstrates the issue, it’s clearly clogged after using unleaded fuel so I get to work.

Stripping the stove it all seems clear but I’ve seen issues like this before and there has to be a blockage somewhere. Tim has been cleaning and replacing the jet over and over again but it still blocks. You have to follow the fuel to sort issues like this and that’s what we did. It turns out that the link tube to the fuel pipe and jet is dirty and needs cleaning, we tried to find matches but everyone uses clear plastic lighters now and there’s none around. In the end I used a pen refill to gently scrape away the deposits flushing with fuel. The stove works well and runs clean now, the reward, a cup of Twinings Earl Gray tea, just fantastic!

In the end I was with Tim and Julio for about 31/2 hours, I’m on my way towards Dakar so I need to get back on the road.

Out on the bike and it’s steaming hot again, I ride carefully through the many linear villages taking time to observe the village life as I pass. There are a few police checkpoints which I pass without delay. Entering one village I see another checkpoint and carefully regulate my speed. The police officer blows his whistle and pulled me over for speeding! I argue but to no avail he’s going to book me and asks for my license. I give him my old and out of date licence and my log book, he gives me the log book back but he is keeping the licence. No matter what I said he was firm, I insist I was not speeding but , nothing will change his mind, as he writes the ticket I observe him taking several bribes in cash, he lets the contributors pass. I am firm and refuse to pay, he wants me to give him 5000 CFA but I’m not playing. I have a think and as the day is getting on and I’m already late I decide that he can keep my old licence, it’s a bit less weight to carry! Walking away he whistles to me again, I ignore him, get on the bike and ride off! This chap was a real idiot, he was stopping loads of others too and taking in the cash, but not from me! My cost, my old licence, whatever!!

Now I’m really late, it’s never a good idea to ride in the dark but the sun is on its way out and I’ve no choice. The roads are really busy and the traffic is belching fumes and blinding me with their lights, it’s really dark now and I still have 45k to the campsite. I tagged onto the back of a speeding scooterist on a Yamaha TMax 250, he’s not hanging around but I used him as a buffer following closely in his tracks for 24 k, when he slows for the inevitable speed bumps (which in Sénégal are massive and poorly marked) I get a warning of their approach, this works well until I have to turn off. I take a right then a left and I’m now on sand tracks.

Bear in mind that’s it’s pitch black and I’m riding sand (not my favourite!) Anyway there’s no choice and I make good progress I’ve been riding fast on the road and I’m not hanging around on the sand either! The piste is very varied, I manage top gear a couple of times when the going was good. There were a few dodgy bits where the sand was deeper and following cars and other traffic threw up clouds of orange choking dust, I got past when I could do that safely and went on my way.

I’m beginning to think it will never end but eventually I turn into a side road and find the campsite, the gate is locked and it looks closed!

A few toots on my horn and I notice activity, eventually I’m let in and purchase a very expensive but cheap red wine (I’m pretty thirsty!) I find what appears to be a good spot for the tent (pitch black remember) and set up camp for the night.

Pulling in stored food I manage to eat, sardines, rice cakes, oranges, garlic and Dutch home made jam. Quite a mix but food is good and I’m satisfied. Tucking in to the bottle of red sees me settle for the night, not many mosquitos here which is a relief.

Some day that was, very varied, ass of a policeman though and I quite enjoyed the speedy off road in the dark in the end!

It was good to finally meet up with Tim and Julio in St Louis

Fixing Tim’s stove was time consuming but it now works perfectly!

The view from my sheltered cooking spot at Zebra Bar, the last evening was almost magical.

My current campsite even has a clean pool, I am definitely going to be in there later!

This French run campsite and hotel is pure luxury!

Some of the other (maybe the only other?) guests here

I may be here a few days whilst organising Visas etc in Nearby Dakar, I think this will be a good place to stay.